


Spark

by sgtcalhouns



Category: Wreck-It Ralph (Movies)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-16
Updated: 2019-03-16
Packaged: 2019-11-21 00:05:41
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 6,530
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18134213
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sgtcalhouns/pseuds/sgtcalhouns
Summary: Felix wants to be with Tamora, but she is already in a relationship with someone named Brad. Things quickly change between them, leading to lots of hurt and confusion down the road.





	1. Chapter 1

Felix whistled as he made his way down the hall, toolbox in hand. He had just about finished his daily rounds making repairs around the apartment complex, with only one problem left to fix for the day. He was on his way to the apartment of Tamora Calhoun, a woman he admittedly didn’t know very well as she had been pretty quiet since moving into the building a few months ago. However, in his limited interactions with her, Felix had definitely learned enough about her to spark his interest. Just thinking about her piercing blue eyes sent a fierce blush across his cheeks. So, he had decided that today was the day he would make his feelings known to Miss Calhoun–he resolved to finally ask her on a date. 

He took a deep breath before raising his fist to knock. Moments later, the door opened, and Tamora was standing before him. Felix quickly removed his hat before greeting her.

“Good evening, ma’am,” he said. “I’m here to fix your sink.”

“Of course,” she replied. “Come on in.”

Felix followed her inside, replacing his cap as she shut the door behind them. He couldn’t help but notice how bare her apartment was; even after living here for several months, she had put up no decorations of any kind. He shook his head, scolding himself for snooping. He was here to do his job!

“So, what appears to be the problem?” he asked.

“I think something is blocking the pipes,” she answered, approaching the sink. “I can’t get any water to run.”

She turned the handle, providing evidence of her problem. Just as she had described, no water was coming out. Felix cocked his head to the side, pondering the issue. 

“Let me try something,” he said, pulling a screwdriver out of his toolbox. He loosened some screws and removed the faucet from the sink. “Yep. Looks like your aerator is clogged.”

He pulled a small round filter out of the faucet and held it up to show her. It was, indeed, covered in gross debris. 

“That’s disgusting,” she remarked. “How did it get like that?”

“No reason in particular,” he answered. “Deposits can build up over time, which causes it to become clogged. It’s highly unlikely that anything you did caused it.”

“So how do we fix it?” she asked.

“We just need to let it soak in some vineger and water for a few minutes, that should get it nice and clean,” he answered.

A few minutes later, they were sitting at her kitchen table, waiting for her aerator to finish soaking. Felix fidgeted nervously, realizing this was his best chance to talk to her. He willed his leg to stop shaking as he noticed Tamora looking at him.

“Is everything okay?” she asked, concern etched onto her face.

“Yes, everything is fine,” he blurted out rather unconvincingly. “I’m just a little…nervous, I guess.”

“Nervous? About what?” she asked, her look of concern changing to one of confusion.

“Well, uh…I’m nervous because, uh…” he stammered, mentally chastising himself for not handling this better.  _This is your moment! Tell her how you feel!_  “Well, because I wanted to ask you on a date.”

He avoided eye contact as he heard her shift in her seat. Although it had only been a few seconds since his confession, it felt like hours had passed before she replied. 

“Oh, Felix,” she began. “I’m very flattered, but I’m actually in a relationship right now. I’m sorry.”

Felix felt as though his head was on fire as he processed her answer. A relationship? All the time he had waited to ask her out and he had never bothered to find out if she was already seeing someone? He couldn’t believe his own foolishness.

“Of course, I’m sorry,” he said, and he could feel that his entire face was beet red. “I should have found that out before asking you, I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable.”

“Hey, there’s no need to apologize. I don’t talk about my personal life often, there’s no way you would have known,” she responded, eyeing the red hue that had overtaken his features. “And you didn’t make me uncomfortable. If anything, it looks like  _I_  might have made _you_ uncomfortable.”

“Not uncomfortable, just a little embarrassed,” he admitted with a nervous chuckle. “Why don’t we see if your aerator’s clean?”

Ten minutes later, Tamora’s faucet was put back together and working wonderfully. Talking about his work had put Felix at ease, and by the time he left, his face had returned to its regular hue. Tamora walked Felix to the door.

“Thanks again for fixing my sink,” she said as she opened the door. 

“No problem, ma’am. Just doing my job,” he replied, tipping his hat. “Let me know if you have any more problems. If it happens again, it might need to be replaced.”

“Will do,” she answered. 

“And sorry again about, uh…”

“No apology necessary,” she cut him off, repeating her earlier sentiment. “Don’t beat yourself up about it. And don’t go running the other way when you see me in the hallway.”

“Alright,” he replied. “You have a nice night, Miss Calhoun.”

“You too, Felix.”

As Felix made his way back to his apartment, he couldn’t help shaking his head as he recalled that whirlwind of a repair. Yep, he thought as he sat back on his couch, it had certainly been an interesting day. 


	2. Chapter 2

Felix settled onto his couch, curling up with a good book to entertain him until it was time to go to bed. It had been about two weeks since his awkward encounter with Miss Calhoun, and he had tried his best to put it behind him. He had passed her a few times in the hallway since that day, and she always greeted him with a smile. It was a bit of a relief to him that she wasn’t treating him any differently after he tried to ask her out; he would never forgive himself if it had made her want to stop being friendly toward him. 

He was shaken from his musings as he heard a knock at the door. Felix furrowed his brow, wondering who would be visiting him so late. He closed his book and rose from the couch. He opened the door, revealing Miss Calhoun herself. As much as he tried, he could not hide the surprised expression on his face. He had definitely not been expecting a visit from her.

“Miss Calhoun,” he began, “is there something wrong with your sink again?”

“No,” she chuckled, “that’s not why I’m here. Can I come in?”

Felix nodded, stepping back to let her into his apartment. He quickly shut the door and turned to face her. Before he knew what was happening, he was being pushed up against the door, Tamora’s body pressed against his. She leaned forward, claiming his lips in a passionate kiss. He couldn’t help but melt into her kiss, his hands slowly making their way onto her waist. His heart raced as she tangled her fingers into his hair, sending a shiver down his spine. He couldn’t believe this was happening. He had given up all hope of ever being with her after she had turned him down.  _Wait a second_ … He came to a screeching halt as realization washed over him. Their kiss was interrupted as he leaned back, looking at Tamora questioningly.

“Wait,” he said firmly. “We can’t do this. You have a boyfriend, that’s why you turned me down before.”

“Let’s just say…” she began, a mischievous smile making its way across her features. “That’s not a problem anymore.”

Felix paused, processing what he had just heard. Tamora took advantage of this moment and kissed him again. He gently pushed her back, looking at her intently.

“Are you sure about this?” he asked, gesturing between them. 

“Yes, I’m sure. Are you?” she raised an eyebrow as she awaited his answer.

He nodded, cupping the back of her neck as he pulled her close again. The spark he felt when their lips met again sent a thrill through his system. He had fantasized about what it would be like to kiss her, but there was no way he could have predicted how intense their connection would be. He placed his free hand in the small of her back, gently pulling her even closer. Now that this was finally happening, he couldn’t seem to get close enough to her. As Tamora leaned into him, she could feel a bulge beginning to make itself known in the front of his pants. She slipped a hand in between them, rubbing her palm against his arousal. Felix gasped at her touch and sighed into her mouth as she continued. Tamora chuckled, breaking their kiss.

“I gotta say, I was expecting a little more resistance from you,” she said.

“Well, under ordinary circumstances I do prefer to take things slow,” he replied. “But you’re no ordinary lady.”

Tamora resisted the urge to roll her eyes while also trying to ignore the warmth in her cheeks as they flushed pink. She normally wasn’t this affected by flattery, but it felt incredibly sincere coming from Felix. 

“Alright, enough sweet talk,” she said, unbuckling Felix’s belt. “It’s gonna take more than a little flattery to get me going.”

Before Felix could reply, she unzipped his pants and pulled his erection free. She wrapped her hand firmly around him and began stroking him. 

“ _Mmm, Miss Calhoun_ ,” he breathed, leaning his head back against the door.

“Hey,” she asserted, grabbing Felix by the chin and forcing his gaze downward to meet hers. “You know my name. You’d better start using it.”

He nodded, a bit dumbstruck by her words. He’d gotten so used to speaking to her in a formal manner that he hadn’t even noticed himself calling her “miss.” Before he could apologize, she was moving again, squeezing and tugging him with just the right amount of pressure to send him reeling. As he reveled in the pleasure she was giving him, he realized that he had done nothing of the sort for her.

He leaned forward, peppering kisses down her neck as he allowed his hands to wander experimentally past her waistline. Once his hands had landed on the back pockets of her jeans he gave a gentle squeeze, keeping his movements small while he gauged her reaction. As his lips met her collarbone, he felt her sigh.

“Is that okay?” he asked earnestly, leaning back to try and read the expression on her face.

“ _Yes_ ,” she answered definitively. “That’s why I’m here, Felix. I want you to touch me.”

He felt his cheeks redden at her words–she  _wanted_  him. Filled with newfound gusto, he let his hands wander back up, gently tugging on the hem of her shirt. She took the hint and raised her arms, allowing Felix to begin undressing her. After discarding her shirt, he wrapped his arms around her back, unclasping her bra. She shrugged off the garment, letting it fall to the floor. He tried not to stare at her newly exposed chest, but  _jiminy jaminy_ did she have an amazing body. Tamora shook her head, amused by his wonderment. She took hold of his hands, placing one on each breast, which encouraged him to begin massaging the soft mounds of flesh. While he did this, she worked on unbuttoning his shirt. He paused from his task to push the shirt back off his shoulders, and then wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her close as he kissed her again. The feeling of her bare skin against his sent goosebumps across his flesh.

“You ready to take this to the bedroom?” she asked.

Felix nodded, and suddenly Tamora was kicking off her shoes and shimmying her pants down her legs. Felix followed suit and followed Tamora into his bedroom. She pushed him down onto the bed and crawled over him, straddling his hips. Felix propped himself up on his elbow, reaching with his other hand to cup her cheek and pull her down to his level for another kiss. As they settled into the kiss, Felix moved off his elbow, laying back on his pillows and bringing Tamora down with him. 

He used his newly freed hand to explore her body, slipping his hand between them. It wasn’t long before he found the elastic band at the top of her underwear, and he allowed his fingers to venture down beneath the fabric. They both sighed as he touched her, his fingers massaging her clitoris. Slowly, he slid two of his fingers inside her, his thumb taking over up top to rub gentle circles over her clitoris. As he pumped his fingers inside of her, she began moving with him, grinding against his hand as he continued stroking her. The sound of her voice moaning his name was almost enough to drive him mad, but he didn’t let that deter him from his task. He could feel her movements becoming more intense, and he picked up the pace to match her. She arched her back, moving erratically as Felix drew the pleasure out of her in waves. Only after he was certain that he had given her every bit of satisfaction that he could did he withdraw his hand.

“I didn’t know you had that in you,” she said between heavy breaths. “Let’s find out what else you’ve got up your sleeve.”

She quickly removed her underwear and pulled Felix’s boxers down his legs. He kicked them off onto the floor as Tamora positioned herself above his erection. Felix held onto her waist as she lowered herself onto him. He was completely entranced by her as she began moving. Her hair was disheveled, her cheeks were slightly flushed, her mouth was agape as she moved, and Felix couldn’t stop watching her. She glanced down, catching his gaze.

“What are you looking at?” she asked, amused.

“You,” he answered, propping himself up on his arm in order to sit up. Once again he couldn’t seem to satisfy his need to be close to her.

Tamora wasn’t sure how to respond to him, so she didn’t. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders and began moving faster. The awkward silence wouldn’t be an issue for long, because she could tell that Felix was getting close. She pushed him back against the mattress, following him down this time. In order to avoid his intense gaze, Tamora began kissing his neck, leaving a mark near his collarbone as she gently sank her teeth into his flesh.

“Tamora _ahhh_ ,” he moaned. He bit down on his lip as he felt a tightening in his abdomen. His eyes clamped shut as he tried to focus on holding it together until Tamora was fully satisfied. 

It didn’t take long for Tamora to figure out what he was doing. She picked up the pace, riding him hard and fast. As much as he tried, Felix couldn’t stop himself from falling over the edge. He bucked against her as pleasure overcame him. Tamora kept moving, feeling her own climax coming on. Just seconds later, she joined Felix in his ecstasy, writhing in pleasure for the second time. 

Tamora collapsed on top of Felix, both of them panting for breath. After a few moments, she got off of him and lay down next to him. 

“That was… Incredible,” Felix said.

“I definitely didn’t expect you to be quite so bold,” she admitted. “For an unassuming handyman, you are full of surprises.”

“I’m not normally like that,” he answered. “I don’t know what came over me.”

“Well, don’t even think of apologizing,” she replied. “I’d say it was a pleasant surprise.”

“Really?” he asked.

“Mm-hmm,” Tamora nodded. “I can’t wait to see more.”


	3. Chapter 3

Felix rounded the corner, making his way to Tamora’s apartment. It had been a full day since she had surprised him at his apartment, and they hadn’t talked since. Felix was itching to talk to her to make sure everything was alright, especially with the way she had been acting before she left that night. She had become incredibly quiet, and departed from his apartment as unexpectedly as she had arrived. A part of him worried that she had changed her mind about being with him. 

Before he could ruminate on it further, he had arrived at her door. He removed his hat before knocking. A beat passed before the door opened, revealing a man Felix had never seen before. Felix furrowed his brow in confusion, glancing at the number on the door to confirm that he was standing in front of the correct apartment. 

“Hi, how can I help you?” the man asked. He was much taller than Felix, his muscular build somewhat intimidating to the small handyman.

“Is Tamora here?” Felix asked timidly, attempting to look past the broad shoulders that blocked his view of the apartment.

“Who’s at the door?” a familiar voice called, answering Felix’s question. Tamora appeared next to the strange man, stifling a gasp when she realized who was standing in her doorway. 

“Felix! You must be here to check up on the sink,” she announced, pulling Felix into the apartment. 

“What? I-I didnt–” he stopped, interrupted by a pointed look from Tamora. “I mean, uh, yes, that’s exactly what I came here to do.”

He didn’t know what was going on, but he figured he should play along until he got some answers. He shot Tamora a questioning look as he walked past her into the kitchen, but she gave him no response. Unsure what to do, he pretended to inspect her sink, placing his hat on the counter before turning on the faucet to check that the water was running. 

“Aren’t you gonna introduce me to your friend?” asked the man. 

“Of course,” Tamora replied nervously. “Brad, this is Felix. He’s the one who fixed the sink.”

Felix turned away from the sink, extending his arm for a handshake. 

“It’s nice to meet you, Brad,” Felix said, trying to keep up appearances, even through his confusion. “You must be Tamora’s…”

“Boyfriend,” Brad finished.

Tamora screwed her eyes shut, trying to escape whatever might happen next. Felix froze, his hand unintentionally clamping down on Brad’s mid-handshake. Brad pulled his hand free from Felix’s grasp.

“Whoa, buddy!” he laughed, shaking out his hand. “Talk about an iron grip.”

“Oh, I’m sorry,” Felix said, his voice small and his mind far away. He slowly made his way back to the sink, his hands gripping the edge of the counter as the world fell apart around him. 

“Well, anyway, I gotta head to work,” Brad said, oblivious to the tension building in the room. He addressed Tamora before leaving, “I’ll see you later.”

There were several seconds of silence after the door shut. Tamora waited, thinking Felix might say something. When he didn’t, she broke the silence.

“Felix…” she began.

“Why did you lie to me?” he spoke so softly that she almost couldn’t hear him. She couldn’t see his face, but she could see the tension in his shoulders as he tightened his hold on the counter.

“Felix, I’m sorry,” she said, placing a hand on his shoulder. He shrugged away from her, turning suddenly to face her. His pained expression sent a pang of guilt through her.

“When you came over last night… I thought you really wanted to be with me. And you let me believe it,” he said, his voice thick with tears that threatened to fall. “You knew I wanted to be with you and you used it.”

“It wasn’t like that,” she said.

“Then what  _was_  it like?” he retorted, anger suddenly making itself known. “Were you just bored of your hunky boyfriend? Did you even want me?”

“I did,” she answered strongly. “I do.”

“I’ve never done anything like that, gotten into bed with someone so quickly. I thought it was exciting, but now…” he trailed off, shaking his head. He took a deep breath as his anger subsided, leaving him feeling hurt and confused. “If I knew you were still with him, I would have never said yes.”

“I know,” Tamora replied. “That’s why I didn’t tell you.”

Felix ran his hands over his face, trying to make sense of all the emotions swirling inside him. Suddenly the situation became too overwhelming for him, and he found it nearly impossible to focus.

“I have to go, I can’t be here right now,” he muttered, hastily heading for the door.

“Felix, wait!” she called after him, but it was too late. He was gone.

She glanced over at the counter, a blue object catching her eye. In his haste, Felix had forgotten his hat. Tamora picked it up and held it against her chest as she reflected on what had just transpired between them. Shame and guilt washed over her as she pictured Felix’s heartbroken expression. Now that she was alone, there was nothing to do but figure out how to pick up the pieces. 

She had to fix this somehow.


	4. Chapter 4

The next day, Tamora found herself standing outside Felix’s apartment. She had used his forgotten hat as an excuse to come over so she could try and explain why she had lied to him. She felt absolutely terrible about it, and she couldn’t get Felix’s hurt expression out of her head. Still, she knew it wouldn’t be an easy conversation to have, and a big part of her dreaded facing him. Before she could talk herself out of it, she knocked on the door. 

Felix opened the door, a look of genuine surprise on his face when he saw Tamora on the other side. Tamora also looked surprised as she noticed his eyes, which were puffy and swollen, presumably from crying. For a moment, he contemplated closing the door and going back inside so he wouldn’t have to speak to her, but he ultimately decided against it.

“Hi, Felix,” she said somewhat sheepishly.

“Tamora,” he replied as politely as he could muster. “What are you doing here?”

“You left your hat,” she answered, holding the garment out to him. Truthfully, he hadn’t even noticed that it was missing, a testament to his current mental state.

“Thank you,” he said, taking the hat from her. “Is that all?”

“No,” she replied. “I was hoping I could talk to you about what happened yesterday.”

“Tamora, I don’t know if I can–”

“Look, there’s no excuse for what I did,” she interrupted, “but you deserve an explanation.”

Felix hesitated before answering. He wasn’t sure if he was ready to have this conversation with her. Nevertheless, he nodded, opening the door further to let her inside. After closing the door, he sat down on the couch, and Tamora sat down next to him.

“I want to start by saying I’m sorry,” she began. “I know that probably doesn’t make you feel any better, but it needs to be said.”

Felix said nothing, looking down at the space between them. 

“Look, when you asked me out that day… I really felt something,” she admitted. “I have never felt anything like that with Brad, and I just… I wanted to feel it again.”

“Then why didn’t you end things with Brad?” Felix asked. 

“It’s not that simple,” she answered. “I met Brad while serving in Afghanistan. When we started dating, I guess it was more about survival than having an actual connection. And when we got home, I just couldn’t bring myself to break it off. He was there during the worst parts of my life, and it felt unfair to cut him loose.”

“Isn’t it also unfair to keep stringing him along?” Felix asked, trying to keep the vitriol out of his voice. “Isn’t it unfair to drag someone else’s feelings into this?”

“Yes,” she agreed. “I never said I handled it in the best way. What I did was unfair to both of you.”

“So you would rather cheat on him than break up with him?” Felix asked in disbelief.

“Just because I’m not in love with him doesn’t mean I don’t care about him,” she answered. “As long as he never finds out, this doesn’t have to hurt him.”

Felix shook his head, unable to form a response.

“Felix, I haven’t been happy in a long time. I traded in happiness for a safety net a long time ago and I don’t know how to change it back,” she admitted. “Sad as it sounds, that night with you was the first time I felt anything like that in years.”

“Yeah, well I felt something, too,” he said, anger creeping back into his voice. “You know, I really thought we had something, and now…”

He trailed off, his head and his heart being pulled in two different directions. As angry as he was with her, he couldn’t stop thinking about the connection they’d shared. His mind kept wandering back to the moment their lips first met and the electricity he had felt. Now that he had felt a spark like that, he was terrified of losing it.

He looked up, noticing for the first time how close Tamora was sitting to him. Their eyes met for the first time since they had sat down, sending a warmth through Felix’s chest that he wished he could ignore. Without thinking, Tamora closed the space between them and kissed him. The thought of resisting briefly entered Felix’s mind, but he was already caught under her spell. Tamora broke the kiss, her eyes widening in shock as she realized what she had done.

“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have done that,” she said. “I should go.”

“Wait,” Felix said, reaching out to cup the back of her neck and pull her close. He kissed her again, a slow, languid kiss that sent sparks flying. “Don’t go. Please.”

She kissed him again, and the connection he felt was almost enough to make him forget his shame and doubt.

Almost.


	5. Chapter 5

Felix’s brow glistened with sweat as he rolled onto his back, panting to catch his breath. He glanced over at Tamora, who was lying on her side, facing away from him. A few weeks had passed since he had learned about Tamora’s relationship with Brad, but somehow he had found himself engaging in his own sort of relationship with her. He had never envisioned himself moving in on another man’s territory, but every so often Tamora appeared at his door and he couldn’t find it in himself to turn her away. Every time she left, he cursed himself for being so weak and swore to himself that he wouldn’t let it happen again.

Yet here they were, in his bed, coming down off of a high that can only be felt when two people really connect. Through it all, it was that connection that kept Felix coming back to her. Regardless of their current situation, he knew that spark was something that couldn’t be faked–that deep down, whether she was willing to admit it or not, she felt something for him. He also knew that they would never have that conversation, because Tamora never stuck around for very long after getting her fix. 

Felix moved onto his side, wrapping his arm around Tamora’s waist to pull her close. He knew she would be leaving soon, but he could never seem to get enough of these intimate moments with her. While he had the privilege of seeing all the most private parts of her, it was small gestures, like holding her hand and kissing her cheek, that he craved the most. He nestled into her, pressing soft kisses into the curve of her neck. His heart sank when she moved away from him, getting up out of bed to retrieve her discarded clothes.

“I should probably get going,” she explained.

“Why don’t you stay here?” Felix asked, sitting up on the edge of the bed. He reached out and caught her hand as she passed by him. “Stay with me.”

“Felix, you know I can’t,” she said softly, gently withdrawing her hand. 

“I know,” he replied, disappointment clear in his voice. “I just wish things were different.”

“I know,” she responded. They looked at each other, the air thick with the things they left unsaid. Unable to bear the disappointment in Felix’s eyes, Tamora looked away, quickly dressing herself. Felix stood, pulling on his boxers to walk Tamora to the door.

“Goodnight, Felix,” she said when they arrived at the door.

“Goodnight, Tamora,” he replied. 

He cupped her cheek, leaning up to kiss her. This had become a bit of a routine for him; he could never let her leave without kissing her goodnight. There was a part of him that selfishly hoped those kisses would remind her of their connection and help her come to her senses, leading her to break up with Brad and choose to be with him instead. The other part of him needed those kisses to reassure himself that she did still have feelings for him.

Tamora broke the kiss and opened the door, letting herself out. Felix watched her go before closing the door behind her. He leaned back against it, rubbing his hands down his face as he considered what he had gotten himself into. 


	6. Chapter 6

The next evening, Tamora appeared at Felix’s door once more, and he felt himself falling back under her spell. Even after all this time, he found it nearly impossible to resist her. They found themselves on his couch, Tamora straddling his lap, his arms encircling her waist. As much as he wanted to get lost in her kiss, something was holding him back tonight; there was a part of him that couldn’t stop thinking about those little moments that he craved. He wanted more than anything to walk out of his apartment holding her hand, to tell the world that they were together. Although his heart raced as Tamora buried her fingers in his hair, there was something exceptionally bittersweet about this moment for him. 

Felix broke the kiss, cupping Tamora’s cheek as he leaned back, looking at her intently. Tamora looked back at him with a furrowed brow, concern etched onto her face.

“Felix, what’s wrong?” she asked.

Felix kissed her again, so passionately that it was as though he would never kiss her again. He pulled back once more, taking one last good look into her eyes before responding.

“Tamora, I… I don’t think I can do this anymore,” he said quietly, his voice thick with emotion.

“Do what?” Tamora asked, hoping that his answer would convince her that what she thought was happening wasn’t actually happening.

“This,” he answered, gesturing between them. “Sneaking around, going behind your boyfriend’s back… I just can’t do it anymore.”

“You knew I had a boyfriend. You knew what you were getting into,” she answered coldly, pushing off of Felix’s lap and standing before him. “And what, suddenly you’re too good for me?”

“What? Tamora, no,” he answered, rising from the couch. “Yes, I agreed to this relationship knowing you were with someone else. But I only did that because I wanted to be with you.”

“Oh, I get it. Now that you’ve gotten what you wanted you can just toss me to the side,” she scoffed.

“You think this was what I wanted?” he asked earnestly. “Tamora, all I ever wanted was to take you on a date. I want to hold your hand and kiss you on the cheek, to tell all my friends about you. I want a real relationship with you.”

“Felix…” she trailed off softly. In truth, she had never fully considered what Felix wanted out of this relationship until now, and she felt her anger at him subsiding as she realized what this must have done to him. 

“And I know you can’t give me those things. It would be unfair of me to expect them from you,” he continued, tentatively reaching out to give Tamora’s hand a squeeze. “But I wouldn’t be fair to myself if I stayed.”

“I’m sorry,” she confessed. “You must hate me for doing this to you.”

“I think we both know I share a good bit of the blame here,” he half-joked, trying to lift Tamora’s spirits. He hated seeing her like this and knowing he had caused it. “And I could never hate you, Tamora. I care about you so much, more than you will ever know.”

Tamora said nothing, trying to hold it together as the one source of happiness in her life was being ripped away right in front of her eyes. Felix wanted nothing more than to comfort her but held back for fear of crossing some sort of boundary. He cast the thought aside and reached up to cradle Tamora’s cheek in his hand–whatever boundaries for acceptable behavior existed, they had crossed them a long time ago. Tamora looked at him, his sadness showing through his eyes. It became clear to her that they were both losing something today.

“Tamora, I want you to know that you deserve to be happy, whatever that means for you,” he said. “And if anything ever changes for you and you find yourself wanting someone to go on a date with, you know where to find me. I still want that.”

Tamora placed her hand over Felix’s, smiling at him through her sadness. She couldn’t believe he was being this nice to her, and she found it even more unbelievable that she was about to walk away from him. He removed his hand from her cheek, bringing her hand forward so he could lay a gentle kiss across her knuckles. 

“Goodbye, Tamora,” he whispered, trying his best to keep the tears from spilling over. 

“Goodbye, Felix,” she replied, slowly removing her hand from his. She walked out of his apartment without looking back.

Just like that, it was over.


	7. Chapter 7

Felix stood at his window, his eyes aimed toward the rainy street but his mind far away. It had been a little over a month since he had ended things with Tamora, and he had yet to figure out how he was going to get over her. Although their time together was short, he suddenly couldn’t remember what life was like before. He tried his best to push thoughts of her out of his mind, but some days he found it nearly impossible to stop thinking of her. 

A knock at the door roused him from his thoughts and he moved away from the window, curious to find out who was paying him a visit. He opened the door to find Tamora standing outside his apartment. He blinked a couple of times as if to ensure that she wasn’t some sort of illusion–no, she was really there. She looked better than Felix had ever seen her; none of her features had changed, but there was a certain glow about her. Her presence had stunned him so much that he had completely forgotten to say hello.

“Hi, Felix,” she began. “Can I come in? There’s something I want to talk to you about.”

“Yes, of course!” he replied, her words forcing him out of his stupor. He stepped aside, allowing Tamora to pass by him into his apartment. He shut the door behind them before continuing. “So, um… What brings you here today?”

“Well, I want to start by apologizing,” she answered, sitting on the couch. Felix sat down next to her. “The first night that I came over here, I lied to you. I was only thinking about myself that night, and I never considered your feelings. I should have been honest with you, and I’m sorry.”

“Thank you for saying that,” he responded, truly touched by her apology. He had never expected this from her, and in all honesty, he didn’t need her to apologize–he still felt a considerable amount of guilt for his own actions. Nevertheless, he appreciated her making amends.

“You know, I’ve thought a lot about what you said the last time I saw you,” she said. “The stuff you said about me deserving to be happy… I don’t think anyone has ever said that to me. And I honestly didn’t believe it.”

“Do you believe it now?” Felix asked, hoping that, if nothing else, he was able to help her see her worth. 

“I do,” she nodded, smiling at Felix. That smile pierced straight through Felix’s heart, and he couldn’t stop himself from placing his hand over hers on the couch cushion. “That’s why I broke up with Brad.”

“Y-you what?” Felix asked, trying to hold back his surprise.

“Right after leaving here, actually,” she explained. “I left your apartment, went home, and broke up with him.”

“Oh my land,” Felix said, more to himself than to Tamora. 

“And after I broke it off, I decided to spend some time with myself to figure out what I want,” she continued. “That’s why you haven’t heard from me in so long.”

“Oh?” Felix inquired. He had a feeling about where this might be going, but he didn’t want to get his hopes up. 

“Look, I don’t know if your offer from before still stands,” she began, looking down at the floor instead of at him, “but do you think maybe we could start over? Try this again?”

“You mean…” he trailed off, processing what she had said. “Tamora, do you want to go on a date with me?”

“If that’s still something you’re interested in, yes,” she answered, still looking away from him. 

“Tamora, look at me,” he said softly, placing his hand on her cheek and gently guiding her face toward his. “I want that. I  _still_  want that.”

She placed her hand over his, finally daring to look at him. His cheeks were tinted pink, his eyes were full of hope, and he was grinning from ear to ear. Tamora suddenly realized she had never seen him smile like that before; it was so contagious that she couldn’t help but smile back. Her smile gave Felix all the reassurance he needed.

“Will you go on a date with me tonight?” Felix asked, his face still offering nothing but smiles.

“Yes,” she replied, meeting his smile with one of her own, “I will.”

Felix paused, soaking in the moment. He had waited so long for this, and now that it was happening, it felt like a dream.

“Can I kiss you?” he asked. It felt a little silly to be asking something like that after everything they had been through, but they were starting over, and he wanted to give this new start the respect it deserved.

She nodded, leaning into him. Their lips met with all the electricity they remembered, their connection still undeniable. For the first time, Felix felt the spark and had absolutely no doubt that this was right. All the shame, doubt, and insecurities he had felt before faded away, to be replaced with hope for the future. 

For them, this was so much more than a first date–it was the promise of possibility.


End file.
